Sliding door assembly



Jan. 26, 1965 N. B. PROVENZO 3,166,801

SLIDING DOOR ASSEMBLY Filed May 9, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR NICHOLAS B.PROVENZO ATTORNEYS Jan. 26, 1965 N. B. PROVENZO 3,166,801

sunmc; DOOR ASSEMBLY Filed May 9, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR NICHOLAS B. PROVENZO BY (q/ ATTORNEYS United States Patent I 3,166,801 SLEBHNG DGOR ASSEMBLY Nicholas B. Provenzo, Snyder, .Y., assignor to Morrison-international Corporation, Eudaio, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed May 9, 1963, Ser. No. 279,264 9 (Iiaims. Cl. 29-19) This invention relates to a new and improved arrange ment of sliding door of the general type commonly used on automobile merchandizing warehouses and on analogous structures and enclosures.

The general type of door assembly to which this invention relates is not new, and has been used Widely on various and sundry structures and enclosures. Generally such a door assembly comprises an upper track located adjacent the top of the door opening and constructed so as to provide raceways for the door rollers. Usually there is a front track and a rear track so as to provide for relative sliding movement of the doors. One door panel is suspended by a roller from the front door track, and a second door panel is similarly suspended from the rear door track. To open the door assembly, the front door usually is moved aside until it is substantially in front of the rear door panel, where it picks up'the rear door panel, and both of the doors move together so as to be clear of the doorway. The closing movement'is exactly opposite, both doors moving together until the rear door has partially closed the door opening, the rear door then being stopped and the front door continuing until the door opening is closed.

Numerous structural arrangements have been proposed in the past to hold the bottoms of the door panels against the wall of the structure on which the doors are mounted, but none of the past arrangements have proved entirely satisfactory. For instance, it has been proposed to sup port the door panels from the upper track in such a manner that the bottoms of the door panels are held against the wall of the supporting enclosure. This prior arrangement has proved unsatisfactory, since it is a relatively simple task to apply a force to the bottoms of the door panels away from the wall of the supporting enclosure, thus springing the door panels and permitting access to the supporting enclosure. Also it has been proposed to have the bottoms of the door panels ride in upwardly facing channels which are attached to the supporting enclosure at the bottom of the doorway opening. This channel arrangement has proved to be partially satisfactory for small enclosures which are located indoors, but even in these small enclosures the bottom channels quite often become clogged with foreign matter. The problem of foreign matter accumulation in the lower channel is even more pronounced when used on enclosures which are located outside. For instance, quite often they become completely obstructed by snow and ice, and when the doors are open the channel is completely unprotected from trash accumulation. As will be seen, the instant invention does away with the problems which are inherent in the prior art structures and provides a novel suspended door arrangement of a simple and rugged construction that continuously operates freely and without binding.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a doorway assembly in which the doors are rigidly fixed against the supporting enclosure at the bottom of the doorway opening without utilizing an open channel which is susceptible to obstruction.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a new and improved doorway of the general type set forth above wherein one of the doors is held against the supporting enclosure at its bottom inside edge by the other door and wherein a carnming surface is provided at the bottom out- Eihhfihl Patented Jan. 26, 1965 side edge of the door to cam the bottom outside edge against the wall of the supporting enclosure when the doors are moved into closed position.

It is yet a further object of this invention to provide a doorway assembly of the general type set forth above wherein the doors are suspended at their upper ends by rollers moving in obstruction-free channels, and the doors are provided at their bottom ends with corresponding smooth running rollers which ride against the wall of the supporting enclosure itself, or against a substantially vertically disposed surface attached to the wall of the supporting enclosure.

Finally, it is an object of this invention to provide a sliding door assembly wherein thedoors move in relative sliding fashion to the opened position so as to minimize wind loads on thesupporting enclosure, and wherein the arrangement is effected Without sacrificing the security of the enclosure and without relying upon troublesome bottom slide channels.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of my invention will be obvious from the accompanying drawings, the subjoined detailed description, and the appended claims. i i

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention in one preferred embodiment. In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 shows an automobile tire merchandizing warehouse of the type commonly used at gasoline stations, and which incorporates door assemblies according to the instant invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side view, partly in section, showing details of the mountings of the doors of the enclosure shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a plan view in section of the door arrangement shown in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view showing the camming member for the bottom outside edge of a door according to the instant invention, and shows the door in its initial opening movement.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in FIGURE 1 an automobile tire merchandizing warehouse which incorporates two sets of doors mounted in accordance with the instant invention. It will be understood that this particular enclosure has been shown for purposes of illustration only, and the invention is equally applicable to any type of enclosure having a doorway opening, the numberof sets of doors being determined solely by the desires of the user and the size of the doorway opening. The enclosure shown in FIGURE 1 is of the type wherein substantially the entire front of the enclosure is encompassed by the sliding doors. It will be seen that the doors are suspended from an overhead track generally designated as 5 and that a drip cap 7 has been provided over a portion of the overhead track 5. Advertising space is shown at 6 at the top of the enclosure, and the entire enclosure rests on adjustable members 4 so as to permit it to be plumb even when used on uneven surfaces. Two doors I and 2 make up a set, and the inside door of a sec- 0nd set is shown at 3. It will be understood that the outside door of the second set is hidden from view in FIG- URE 1, since the doors are in their open position.

The details of the invention are best illustrated in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4. Referring to FIGURE 2, the overhead track is shown generally at 5, and is shown as being comprised of two connected members 8 and 9. However, it will be understood that the overhead track is shown as being comprised of two members for purposes of illustration only, and it very well could be fabricated as a single continuous member. The doors 1 and 2 have overhead support members 16 connected to their upper ends 'rnore fully hereinafter.

'ably satisfactory and reliable in operation.

A bottom edge end member 20 of the enclosure is cut away as at 25 so asto provide a travel space for the members which hold the bottom edges of the doors against the wall of the enclosure, as will be explained Extending down over the front of this cut away portion 25 is a member which forms a lip 21 extending for'the 'full length of the enclosure. A

front door lower support member generally shown at 14 is attached tofthe bottom edge of'the front door l by screws 16 and has an extended portion which forms a lip 15 extending behind the lip 21 of the enclosure. lastic or nylon rollers 17 are mounted on support member ltd by shafts 18, and the rollers 17 are spaced from the lip 15 so as tohave the lip 21 embraced between the perimeters of the rollers 17 and the'inner surface of the'lip 15. Preferably the front door lower support member 14 extends for substantially the full length of the front door 1, but it will be understood that the member 14 could be comprised of individual members located adjacent each end of the lower edge of the front door 1. The rear door 2 carries at its bottom outside'edge a rear door lower sup port member 19 which is provided with a camming surface to ensure that the lower outside edge of the rear door is held against the wall of the supporting enclosure when the doors are closed; Also carried at the lower edge of the rear door 2 are plastic or nylon rollers 23, and the cumming surface 19 is so arranged that the lip 21 will be embraced rather firmly between the perimeters of the rollers 23 and the inside camming surface of member 19 p when the rear door 2 is in the closed position.

As shown in FIGURE 3, rear door 2 carries on its outside vertical edge a member 22 which provides a stopping surface for the rear door 2 when it reaches the fully closed position. Carried on the inner vertical edge of the rear door 2' is a corresponding member 2d which pro vides a pickup surface for the rear door 2 by the front 'door l. Preferably the overhead track is closed at its outer ends to provide a stopping surface for both of the doors when they reach the fully opened position.

The embodiment shown in the drawing has been actually constructed, and it has been found that it is remark- Assuming that the doors are in the fully closed position, the doors are opened by grasping the handle on the front door 1 and moving thefront door toward the outer end of the overhead track. When the front door has substantially passed in front of the rear door, the surface 26 of the front door 1 engages the pickup member 24 on the inner edge of the rear door, and the doors move together until the stopping surface on the outside end of the overhead track is reached. When both sets of doors have been fully opened, the entire front of the enclosure shown in FIGURE 1 will be open so as to permit easy access to the contents thereof. Since the doors are in overlapped position, the added wind load is kept to a minimum. Although it is not necessary, in actual commercial prac: tice a removable latch member is provided to extend from the lower rear outside edge of the enclosure structure to the bottorn outside edge of the rear door 2 so as absolutely to prevent any possibility of the doors being sprung out of shape by unusually high winds.

p The doors are closed again merely by moving the front 7 door 1 toward the closed. position, the front .door moving alone during the initial movement. As soon as the front door has moved to the point where the two doors are in substantially extended position, the surface 27 of the front door 1 engages against the pickup member 24 of the rear door 2, and the two doors then move together until the fully closed position is reached.

Preferably the stop surface on the upper track 5 is so positioned that the 'lip15 of the front'door 1 does not completely disengage from the lip 21 ofthe enclosure when the doors are in the fully opened position. However, if it is desired to have the doors move further out sothat the lip 15 of the front door is completely disenlip member gaged, the leading surface of the lip should be provided with a carnrning surface so as to permit automatic reengagement of the lip 15' with the lip 21 when the doors are moved toward closed position. in the embodirn shown in the drawings, when the doors are in the fully opened position the inner edge of the rear door 2 is held against the lip 21 of the enclosure wall by the front door 1. Just before the rear door 2 moves into fully closed osition, the rear door lower support member 19 engages the lip 21 in a camming relationship, and the outer edge of the rear corn is then rigidly held against movement awayfrom the lip 21, while the inner edge of the rear door 2 continues to be embraced between the front door 1 and the lip 21 of the enclosure wall.

it will be apparent that the invention is susceptible of various modifications without departing from the spirit thereof. The invention has been shown as applied to a particular type of enclosure structure primarily because of the very substantial utility which the invention enjoys with this particular structure, but it will be obvious that the invention also will be highly useful with any type of enclosure structure where sliding doors are required or desired. The invention can be manufactur d and sold as a complete kit which would include the doors, the upper track and a member having a lip corresponding to lip 21 in the drawings; alternatively, the doors alone can be manufactured and sold, and the lip 21 and the upper track could be fabricated from materials available at a construction site, in too case of heavier construction. The lower rollers are not absolutely necessary to the invention in its broader aspect, but it has been found that they greatly enhance the ease of operation of the invention. The door panels themselves can be of any convenient type, and it is not necessary that they be of the particular type disclosed in the drawings. Instead of having surface '26 of front door l. abut against pickup surface 24 of rear door 2'; during the opening movement, the device could be arranged so that the opening move-- ment of rear door 2 would imparted by front door lower support member is engaging the inner surface of rear door lower support member 19. The invention in its broader aspect lies in the general manner in which the lower edges of the doors are held against outward movement without the use of a lower channel and its attendant difficulties. 1 wish it clearly to be understood that I desire to be limited not by the specific embodiment disclosed herein, but only by the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention as required by the patent statutes, l claim:

1. A sliding door assembly comprising: a front door panel; a rear doe; panel; means supporting said front door panel adjacent to but in front of said rear door panel and supporting both of said door panels for relative translational movement in parallel adjacent planes; a down wardly disposed lip member adapted to be attached to an enclosure on which the doors are to be mounted, said extending substantially horizontally in a straight line over the combined length of the door panels when in extended position; front door lower support means extending from the lower portion of said front door and engaging said lip member so as to prevent movement of said front door transversely away from said lip member; rear door lower support means extending from the outer lower edge of said rear door for engaging said lip member when said rear door is substantially closed position so as to prevent movement of said rear door transversely away from said lip member; and means for preventing translational movement of said rear door elative to said front door when said front door is held in closed position and for preventing said front door from as set forth in claim 1 support means and said rear door lower support means each comprise lip portions for embracing one side of said lip member and roller members for embracing the other side of said lip member.

3. A sliding door assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said means for preventing translational movement of said rear door relative to said front door com prises a pickup member extending from substantially the edge of one of said doors toward the other of said doors, and the other of said doors is provided on its surface with pickup surfaces adjacent its vertical edges and disposed on opposite sides of said pickup member for abutting engagement with said pickup member during opening and closing movement of said doors.

4. A sliding door assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said lip portion of said rear door lower support means comprises a camming surface inclined at an angle to said lip member for engaging said lip member and camming the roller members at the lower portion of said rear door toward the outer surface of said lip member during closing movement.

5. A sliding door assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said front door lower support means comprises a substantially U-shaped member depending downwardly from the lower edge of said front door and passing under said lip member so that the rear arm of said U-shaped member lies against the rear surface of said lip member, a plurality of horizontally disposed roller members journalled in the bottom of said U-shaped member and bearing against the outer surface of said lip member, said U-shaped member extending downwardly sufliciently to have said front door roller members clear the lower edge of said rear door, a plurality of roller members for said rear door being horizontally disposed and journalled to the lower edge of said rear door to roll along the outer surface of said lip member above said front door roller members, said rear door lower support means comprising a member depending from the outer lower edge of said rear door and having a lip portion for engaging the rear surface of said lip member as said rear door moves into substantially closed position, said lip portion comprising a camming surface inclined at an angle to said lip member for progressively camming the lower portion of said rear door toward the outer surface of said lip member during the final stage of closing movement.

6. In a sliding door assembly of the type having an upper track and at least two doors slidably suspended from said upper track so as to permit translational movement of said doors relative and parallel to each other, said doors being suspended from said track so that one slides in front of the other in overlapping relationship, the improvement comprising: a downwardly extending lip member disposed behind the rear one of said doors and extending horizontally for substantially the entire extended length of said doors; a lower support member for the front one of said doors extending from the bottom portion of said front door under said rear door and engaging the rear surface of said lip member so as to prevent movement of said front door transversely relative to said lip member; a lower support member for the rear one of said doors, and extending from the outer end of the lower edge of said rear door and engaging a portion of the rear surface of said lip member when said rear door is in substantially ciosed position so as to prevent movement of said rear door transversely away from said lip member; said rear door lower support member being located only at the end portion of the lower edge of said rear door remote from said front door so as to permit said front door to move in front of said rear door before said rear door commences its opening movement, and said rear door lower support member having a camming surface inclined at an angle to said lip member for camming said rear door toward said, lip member during the latter part of the closing movement of said rear door.

7. A sliding door assembly comprising: means defining a doorway; an overhead track extending along the upper edge of said doorway; a front door; a rear door; means suspending said front door from said overhead track for movement along said track relative to and in front of said rear door; means suspending said rear door from said overhead track for movement along said track relative to said front door; means for stopping said doors when the fully opened position is reached; means for preventing movement of said rear door relative to said front door when said front door is held in fully closed position; a downwardly extending lip memebr extending along the lower edge of said doorway; front door lower support means extending from the lower portion of said front door and slidably engaging the rear surface of said lip member so as to prevent movement of said front door transversely away from said lip member, said lower support member extending downwardly so as to be clear of said rear door when said front door moves in front of said rear door; rear door lower support means extending from the end of the lower edge of said rear door remote from said front door and slidably engaging the rear surface of said lip member so as to prevent movement of said rear door transversely away from said lip member when in the closed position and so as to permit said front door to move in front of at least a portion of said rear door; and roller members carried at the lower portions of said front and rear doors for bearing against the front surface of said lip member.

8. A sliding door assembly as set forth in claim 7 wherein said lip member terminates substantially at the end of said doorway toward which said doors move during opening movement, and said rear door lower support member comprises a camming surface inclined at an angle to said lip member for engaging said lip member during the latter stages of closing movement.

9. A sliding door assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein said overhead track extends beyond the doorway by substantially the width of one of said doors so that said doors will be clear of said doorway when in their fully opened overlapping position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A SLIDING DOOR ASSEMBLY COMPRISING: A FRONT DOOR PANEL; A REAR DOOR PANEL; MEANS SUPPORTING SAID FRONT DOOR PANEL ADJACENT TO BUT IN FRONT OF SAID REAR DOOR PANEL AND SUPPORTING BOTH OF SAID DOOR PANELS FOR RELATIVE TRANSLATIONAL MOVEMENT IN PARALLEL ADJACENT PLANES; A DOWNWARDLY DISPOSED LIP MEMBER ADAPTED TO BE ATTACED TO AN ENCLOSURE ON WHICH THE DOORS ARE TO BE MOUNTED, SAID LIP MEMBER EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTALLY IN A STRAIGHT LINE OVER THE COMBINED LENGTH OF THE DOOR PANELS WHEN IN EXTENDED POSITION; FRONT DOOR LOWER SUPPORT MEANS EXTENDING FROM THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID FRONT DOOR AND ENGAGING SAID LIP MEMBER SO AS TO PREVENT MOVEMENT OF SAID FRONT DOOR TRANSVERSELY AWAY FROM SAID LIP MEMBER; REAR DOOR LOWER SUPPORT MEANS EXTENDING FROM THE OUTER LOWER EDGE OF SAID REAR DOOR FOR ENGAGING SAID LIP MEMBER WHEN SAID REAR DOOR IS IN SUBSTANTIALLY CLOSED POSITION SO AS TO PREVENT MOVEMENT OF SAID REAR DOOR TRANSVERSELY AWAY FROM SAID LIP MEMBER; AND MEANS FOR PREVENTING TRANSLATIONAL MOVEMENT OF SAID REAR DOOR RELATIVE TO SAID FRONT DOOR WHEN SAID FRONT DOOR IS HELD IN CLOSED POSITION AND FOR PREVENTING SAID FRONT DOOR FROM MOVING COMPLETELY CLEAR OF SAID REAR DOOR; WHEREBY SAID DOORS MAY BE OVERLAPPED TO OPEN POSITION AND BE HELD RIGIDLY WHEN IN CLOSED POSITION. 